Secrets Revealed
by lovelance
Summary: Derek and Casey have a secret from the family and Casey has a secret from Derek. Rated T to be safe. FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I wish I did, because then I would know Micheal Seater, but I don't, so don't sue me.

Chapter 1 Secrets Kept and Known

The MacDonald-Venturi house was one of constant chaos. Mainly because of the eldest two step-siblings, Casey and Derek. This day was an exception to the rule. Derek and Sam were downstairs playing video games and Casey was in her room doing homework, so they were no where near each other. Derek had just broken up with Kendra, so everyone was being expecially nice to him.

That evening Sam was invited to stay for dinner and gladly accepted. Everyone was trying to cheer Derek up, even though he said he was fine. Some how the conversation turned to everyone's old relationships and George decided to bring up an old one of Derek's girlfriends. "Do you remember that girl you used to date? It was before I married Nora."

Derek looked panicked. "Dad."

"I remember her," Sam chimed in. "Derek never would introduce anyone to her. He dated her for an entire month and never even told me her name."

"Sam."

The George came back in. "I kept asking about her, but he never would tell me anything. Then one day he came home and said they had broken up and for about two weeks he moped around here and didn't go anywhere. He even missed a hockey game."

"Dad, seriously, cut it out."

Edwin was staring at his brother. "How long has it been since she broke up with you, Derek?"

Derek looked at Edwin, then to his watch, then back to Edwin. "Two years, five months, one week, three days, five hours, and forty-six minutes." He looked around the table and saw everyone staring at him. "Excuse me." He got up and climbed the stairs.

As soon as he disappeared Nora began glaring at her husband. He got defensive. "I didn't know he still felt that way, honest, otherwise I wouldn't have said anything. I knew he really liked her and I was trying to remind him that it was possible to get over Kendra. I didn't know he wasn't actually over that girl."

Twenty minutes later Sam had gone home and Casey was heading up to her room while the rest of the family cleaned the kitchen. She looked at Derek's door and paused. She glanced behind her then leaned against the door to hear the music that was playing. It was a recording. One she had a copy of. She carefully opened the door and slipped inside Derek's room. Closing the door behind her, he still hadn't noticed her, since he was sitting with his back to her. "Forty-seven," she said, barely above a whisper, but he heard her anyway.

He whipped around in his chair and stared at her. "What?"

"It was forty-seven minutes, not forty-six. Only by two seconds, but still."

"Only because it took a few seconds to get through the rest of it."

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments. "How often do you listen to that song?"

He shook his head. "Not very. Normally I just play, though it's in past tense when I do."

She nodded. "I can understand that."

"Are you really as excited as you claim for university?" It was barely a whisper and Casey could hear the pain in his voice.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Why?" He had tears in his eyes, the same as her.

"Because maybe there I can finally stop being mad at my mother."

"Why are you mad at her?"

She sat down on his bed and let a few tears fall. "Because if she hadn't married your dad I know we would have gotten back together and we would have been together forever." She put her face in her hands and started sobbing.

Derek sat watching her for a moment before deciding that he didn't have to be a cold-hearted bastard in the privacy of his own room. He sat down next to her and pulled her head to his chest. He felt the same way. Even though he had messed up badly, they would have worked it out. They loved each other more than anything in the world and there would have been nothing to keep them apart if it weren't for his dad marrying her mom.

As he stroked her hair an air of familiarity consumed them. "Do you think there is chance for us anyway?"

She stayed against him, but he could tell she was stiff. "I don't know, Derek. I don't think so." She sat up and looked at me. "I mean, how could we really be together. It would be so weird for the family and I don't want to do that to them."

Derek stood and walked to the other side of his room. "But it's already weird between us."

"That's different."

"How? You think they don't notice how we act towards each other? Casey, they know as well as we do that their hopes of us acting like siblings is a pipe dream."

"It's different because we can hide it. We can cover it up. And it's only the two of us."

"So you would rather both of us go through life miserable than cause a little discomfort for our family. They would get over it eventually, Case."

Casey shook her head. "Derek..."

He turned around and looked at her with a sadness in his eyes that she had only seen on the day she broke up with him. "You are the only girl I have ever and will ever love, Casey. But if you don't think we will work anymore then I'll stay away. I'll act like an asshole and ignore you whenever possible."

Casey's eyes filled with tears. "Derek..."

"Just go, Casey. You know how I feel when I'm alone with you."

Her chin quivered, but she nodded and left his room. When she had closed the door to her own room she leaned against it and slid down to the floor. Then she let her tears flow. She looked at the wall that separated hers and Derek's room. "I love you so much," she whispered.

In the room next to her Derek was having a similar melt down. He leaned his head against the wall and let the tears stream down his cheeks. "I'll leave you alone, baby, I promise."

A few weeks later...

Casey was sitting at her desk when Lizzie came into the room. She sat on her sister's bed and watched as Casey smiled at her in the mirror, told her to hang on a second, and typed another few lines. Then Casey spun her chair around to face her sister. "What's up, kid?"

"I'm worried."

"About what?"

"You and Derek."

"What about me and Derek?"

Lizzie could tell that Casey didn't want to be talking about Derek, but she had to get the truth out of her. "Casey, ever since dinner a few weeks ago, when George mentioned that one girlfriend that Derek hasn't gotten over, I've been thinking." She looked up to gauge Casey's reaction to what she was saying, but there wasn't much of one. "I was thinking about that boyfriend you had that you never let, even me, meet." Now Casey was looking at the floor. "And I know that you her really in love with him and all and I realized that you were dating him at the same time that Derek was dating that girl. Then I started noticing that you both seemed kind of depressed since then and that you two are never in the same room for very long." Lizzie paused to take a deep breath before asking the question she already knew the answer to. "You and Derek dated, didn't you?"

Casey stared at her sister, shocked that she had figured it out. She just nodded. She knew she was a horrible liar and Lizzie knew her best.

Lizzie smiled. "Why don't you two get back together?"

"Well, because we don't want things to be weird for everyone else around here."

Lizzie shook her head. "I don't think it would be weird. And ever since you and Sam broke up for good, Marti has been saying that she wants you and Derek to get married." Lizzie looked thoughtful for a moment. "In all honesty, I think Edwin knew already that you two had dated. I don't really know why I think that, I just have had this feeling for a while that he knew something I didn't and he just couldn't tell me. I didn't realize until this past week that the secret was with you two."

Casey smiled. "Well, I don't know. I will never rule out getting back with Derek as a possibility, but it isn't very likely."

Lizzie nodded. "You know I just want you to be happy, right?"

Casey nodded and pulled her sister into a hug. "I know, thanks."

At the same time as Lizzie walked out of Casey's room, Edwin walked into Derek's. When he entered the room he immediatly slammed the door. "Dude, we need to talk."

Derek's head snapped up and glared at his younger brother. "Ed, what are you doing? Get out."

Edwin shook his head and crossed his arms. "I need to talk to you about Casey."

Edwin saw Derek's eyes change, though he couldn't decide if they were harder or softer than before. "Why would I want to talk about Casey? Better question, why would I know enough about Casey for you talk to me about her?"

"It's not about what you know about her, it's about what I know about her. And what I know about you."

Derek crossed his arms and waited for Edwin to go on.

"I know that you and she dated before Dad married Nora."

Derek just stared at him, though Edwin could see the shock in his face, even if it was subtle.

"I got home early one day from school and you brought Casey over. I didn't say anything because I knew were trying to keep it a secret for a while and I didn't see any reason to change how things were going. I wanted to tell you that I think Lizzie figured it out and I know she was just talking to Casey. Neither of us would have any kind of problem with you guys getting back together."

"Ed, it wasn't my idea that we stay apart. I've been wanting to get back together with her since she broke up with me, but Casey doesn't want things to be weird around here. I have to respect that, Ed. If Casey decides to get back with me, I will have no objections and will agree in a heartbeat, but I can't force Casey."

Edwin nodded. "If you still love her, then why do you avoid her so much, especially lately?"

"Because if I don't avoid her, I'm going to kiss her."

Edwin nodded again. "Just so you know, Marti wants you and Casey to get married."

With that Edwin left. Derek stared at the door waited for his mind to clear. He wanted to go strait to Casey's room and talk to her about this, but he knew that there would be no way she would talk to him about this again. He put his face in his hands. "It doesn't matter if your siblings are cool with it, Derek, it's over. Casey said it's over."

A/N: Ok, first chapter. What do you think? I've read stories that start something like this, but this one is going to end up a bit different. The review button likes to be clicked. It really does, clicking tickles it, and it likes to be tickled. So click it! 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This would probably be IN the show if I owned it.

Chapter 2 Once for Forever

Casey's POV

It was only a week til I moved to university. Derek and I hadn't actually talked about anything. We used to talk casually about our nerves or something, but after that night neither of us could talk to each other that was anything substantial. All we could do was ask the other to pass some dish or another at the dinner table. We couldn't even make eye contact.

Derek was out of the house a lot, too. He played a lot of hockey with Sam, supposedly getting ready for the college practices they were about to start together. He hadn't been on a date since that night, but still managed to be out of the house nearly every night.

This week we both had to pack, but I was packing more than he did. Derek got to stay in the jock dorms with Sam as part of his scholarship, but I had an apartment, so instead of just clothes, sheets, and bathroom stuff, I was taking my bed, desk, dresser, tons of stuff.

Half way through the week Mom told Derek to stay home and help me load at least the pieces of my desk and my dresser drawers into my car. Right after lunch Derek knocked on my open door before he came in. "Nora said to help you carry some of this stuff out."

I nodded and laughed. "I am such a girl."

He frowned and cocked his head.

I blushed. "I have no idea how to take my desk apart." By the end of my statement I was laughing hysterically and Derek was grinning at me, obviously amused.

"You are such a girl." He came over and ducked his head under my desk. "Hand me the screw driver with the plus sign-shaped tip."

I looked in the toolbox for what he was talking about. I handed him the screw driver and he started doing something to my desk. I assumed he was taking it apart, but I couldn't actually see. "So," he started. "Why an apartment instead of a dorm room?"

I smiled. We were speaking again. "I found one that was really cheap and close to campus and I thought it might be easier to study."

He chuckled. "Alwasy the grade-grubber."

We spent the rest of the afternoon in comfort with each other, even if neither of us were talking.

Over the next few days Derek started staying in his room more. When he left the door open we could see bags starting to fill up and his room was really clean.

Then suddenly it was the night before I was supposed to leave. Derek wasn't leaving until a couple of days later. I had just laid down on the futon Mom and George had gotten for me to sleep on when I came home, when I heard my door open. I looked at my doorway and Derek stood there. I sat up. "Hey."

"Hey," he said back.

"Did you need something?"

He closed my door and walked over to me, taking a seat on the futon. "We've been really stupid."

"How so?"

Even in the dark I could tell he was smiling. "We have wasted so much time these past few weeks being awkward around each other when we could have been keeping each other from being so nervous about all this."

"What do you have to be nervous about? You're going to school thirty minutes away from here and you'll be living with Sam. I'm going nearly four hours away to where I don't know anybody. Plus, you'll have hockey to get your confidence up."

"And you'll have your grades. It may not be highschool, but you will over study as usual."

I smiled at that. There were a lot of thoughts running through my head, but the one that stood out was the one where I knew that, whatever happened between us later, I didn't want to spend my last night in the house by myself. More specifically, I wanted Derek to stay with me. So, without really thinking I grabbed him and kissed him.

Instantly his hands were on my waist pulling me closer to him. He licked my bottom lip and I opened my mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck. our tongues dueled and he held me as if he was never going to let me go. It wasn't long before I was pulling him to lay on top of me and he was slipping his hands beneath my tank top. I had missed those hands. It had been far too long since he had touched me like this. I didn't even realize how much I had needed it.

"Derek," I whispered.

Suddenly he backed up. He looked directly in my eyes. "Sorry," he said and tried to get off of me.

But I shook my head and pulled him back to me. "I don't want you to go, Derek." I kissed him again and he gave in easily. I guess he didn't really want to go either.

My alarm woke me up the next morning before the rest of the family was up. Derek's head was on my shoulder and his breath was tickling my neck. I could feel his naked body pressed against mine and I smiled, remembering what had happened the night before. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to coax him awake.

After a few minutes it paid off and he stirred next to me. His eyes opened and he looked at me. He frowned for a moment before his eyes widened in shock and he sat up. "Oh, god." He put his face in his hands and started shaking his head.

I sat up next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Case."

That shocked me. "Why?"

He looked at me.

"Derek, in case you don't remember, you tried to leave. I didn't let you. I wanted last night to happen."

He had been staring at me the entire time. He believed me, I could tell. He kissed me then. Not the kisses of the night before, but a sweet kiss. One that told me he understood that, at least for now, this was a one time thing. It told me that even if we never had a moment like this again, he would always love me.

The rest of the morning was hard. I didn't want to say goodbye. But I did, to everyone but my mom. She was coming to help me get settled. I did get settled and after only two days I had everything unpacked and I called the house. "Hello?"

"Hey, Marti."

"Casey! Hi! Smerek's leaving today."

"I know, that's why I called. Can I talk to Derek, please?"

"Ok." I heard Marti calling for Derek and telling him that the phone was for him.

Derek greeted me with, "I'm moving and I'm not going on any dates anytime soon."

I tried to stifle my laughter. "Aw, I was really hoping to finally get my date with THE Derek Venturi. I guess my life's dream has just come crashing down around me."

"Oh, hi, Casey. Sorry, girls have been calling all day and I'm getting really sick of it."

I laughed at him. "Well, I just wanted to call and say that I hope your move-in day goes well and all."

"Thanks. I gotta go, though. Dad's ready and I've been holding him up for an hour already."

"Sounds like you. Later, Der."

"See ya, Case."

I hung up the phone and went to the textbooks I had already gotten. Derek was right, I was already opening my books and school didn't start for another two weeks.

Three weeks later...

I'm pregnant. I thought the nausia was because I was nervous about starting school and stuff, but when I started wanting to throw up every time I moved, I got suspicious. So I took the test. It was positive. How could I ever tell Derek. I know he would want to know, but I don't want him giving everything up just for me.

So, until I decide exactly what to do, I'm getting a job to save up for the extra expense. George and Mom are paying all my bills this year, but come summer, or a little before, I'll have another person to take care of. What am I going to do now?

A/N: Possibly a little cliche, but I like it so far. What do all of you think? Like I said before, the review button likes to be clicked. Click it! 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I want to own it. But I don't.

Chapter 3 Now Three Know

Lizzie's POV

It had been almost four years since Casey had moved out and she hadn't come home once. She kept saying that she was just really busy and didn't have the time, but Edwin and I knew that she was hiding something. She was about to graduate from college. She only had another semester and a half left. So, since Edwin and I had a long weekend, we decided to surprise Casey with a visit. I'm sure that we should have called first instead of just showing up on Casey's doorstep, but I didn't want for Casey to have a chance to say she was too busy to see us.

When we reached the door right before dinner time Edwin and I paused. Ed looked at me. "Are you sure you don't want to get a hotel room and call to see if it's ok?"

I nodded, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. It took a few minutes, but the door opened a crack and I could see Casey's eye go wide. 

"L-l-lizzie?!" 

"And Edwin!" Edwin jumped from the side she couldn't see and waved at her.

"Surprise!"

She looked at us for a moment before I cleared my throat. "Um, can we come in?"

"No!" she said quickly, making both of us jump. Then she sighed and laughed. "I mean," she opened the door wider. "Of course you can. Sorry, the place is just a little messy."

Ed and I were completely confused by the kind of mess that greeted us when we entered the apartment. It looked like a kid lived there. "Casey, what's with all the toys?"

Casey looked guilty. "Well..."

"Mama, who dat?"

Ed and I looked at the entrance to the kitchen area where a little girl was standing. She was already in her pajamas, carrying a blanket and had her thumb in her mouth. Casey looked at us and then walked over to the little girl. "Sweetie, this is your Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Edwin. Guys, this is Domino, my daughter."

I just stared at her. The little girl waved at us and yawned, putting her head down on my sister's shoulder. "I think you need to go to bed, doll face." She turned to us. "I'll be right back."

Ed and I took a seat at the small table and looked at each other. We didn't say anything, but when I looked at Edwin I knew he was wondering the same thing I was. Was this kid Derek's?

When Casey came back into the room she sat down with us. Nobody said anything until Casey got up the courage to say something. "I guess now you know why I didn't ever come home. I didn't want anyone to know because I didn't want Mom to be disappointed in me."

Edwin shook his head. "No, you didn't tell any of us because you didn't want Derek to know about her."

Casey looked at the table. "That's part of it, too."

"Is she Derek's?"

Casey nodded. "I didn't want him to drop everything to be with us." She looked up at us with tears in her eyes. "I have tried. But everytime I write the email or letter or when he answers the phone I chicken out. I know he would want to know about his daughter, I just don't know how to tell him."

"But you still love him, right?"

Casey nodded.

I tapped my finger on the table top. "Look, the reason we came here was to try to convince you to come home for Christmas. We're having this huge party. Dad's been invited and says he's coming, Sam and Emily are going to be there, the whole family. You can't keep your daughter from everyone forever. Please, come?"

Casey gave us a look. "I don't know if I can face Derek after this."

"You have to face him some time, Casey," Edwin said. "I don't think he'll be mad at you. Especially if you've been telling her something about him."

"I have been. Good things."

I opened my mouth, but Casey cut me off. "Can we not talk about it anymore? I promise I'll think about it, but I don't want to think about telling Derek anymore."

Edwin and I nodded and told her that we were planning on spending two nights with her. She just nodded and got up to fix dinner.

We did manage, over the time we were there, to get a lot out of her about school, friends, the job we didn't know she had. We also managed to get her to commit to come home for Christmas. I think she was actually excited about it, but she did a really good job of hiding it. We also got to know Domino really well. Spending just a few minutes in the room with her fully awake would leave no doubt in your mind that she was Derek's. She had the same "my way or the highway" attitude and looked almost exactly like him. But she did have Casey's bright blue eyes. Casey had almost managed to keep control of her, so that she was still in charge of the house instead of her daughter.

When we left she gave us both big hugs and made us promise not to tell anyone about Domino yet. She wanted to tell everyone herself. She said that she wouldn't be able to get home until the day of the party, but that was better than nothing.

As Ed and I made our way back to the car to head home he turned to me. "Do you think she will try to cover anything?"

I shook my head. "No. She wants to tell everyone, and she wants to tell them everything. I think that she not only wants to stop hiding Domino, but she also wants everyone to know who the father is. It would give her and Derek a good reason to be together."

We climbed into the car and started home. We barely talked the entire four hours we had to drive. We gave scanty information about our visit with Casey and waited to see if Casey would call and ask for any help in bringing Domino home with her. It was all we could do for the three weeks before Casey came back.

Casey's POV

It was the day of the party. I was nervous as hell. I couldn't breathe and I felt like I was pregnant again, though I knew that was impossible. I got to the house and parked my car. I also stayed in my car and waited for the courage to go to the door. Domino sat in the back seat staring at me. "Momma, what we doin'?"

"Momma just needs a minute, honey."

"Are we gonna see Daddy here?"

My eyes widened at that. "Yeah, we are." I turned around to look at her face. "But, I need you to not let anyone know that he's your daddy for a little while, ok?"

"Why?"

"Well, because, not very many people know he's your daddy and Momma needs to talk to him first."

"When can people know?"

"I'll tell you, ok, sweetie?"

She nodded at me. That was when I noticed a car pulling up behind me. I looked at who was getting out of the car. It was my dad. He walked over to my car and looked in the window and smiled at me. I couldn't help but be excited to see him as I jumped out of the car to hug him. "Casey, my girl, how have you been? And why were you sitting in the car?"

I bit my lip as I looked at him. Then I opened the back door and Domino hopped out. "Dad, this is Domino, my daughter."

Dad looked from me to my little girl and back to me. "Casey...this is a surprise."

"Are you mad at me?"

He picked Domino up and she hugged him. I'd shown her pictures of the whole family, so she knew who he was already. "No, sweetie, I'm not mad. I'm just confused." He put Domino down when she said something about leaving one of her stuffed animals in the car. "Casey, she looks a lot like..."

"Derek," I finished for him. "I know."

"Explanation, please?"

I looked into the car where Domino was digging through her backpack. "She is Derek's. We dated briefly before Mom and George got married. We broke up because I was being extremely oversensetive about something." I looked back at my dad then. "I still love him. The night before I left for school we were talking and one thing led to another and Domino was the result."

"Does Derek know?"

I shook my head. "I didn't know how to tell him."

"Four years and he knows nothing."

I nodded. "I know, I'm a horrible person."

My dad put a hand on my shoulder as Domino crawled back out of the car and closed the door. "Only if you don't tell him now."

I nodded, took my daughter's hand, and walked up to the door. I didn't even bother knocking. I figured that I was still family, so I ought to be able to just come in.

Light greeted me as the door opened, along with music. The second thing I heard, though was someone screaming, "CASEY!!!" and latching themselves around my waist. I looked down to see Marti grinning up at me and hugged her. Everyone was looking at me now and before anyone could say anything else Lizzie spoke. "Don't you have some surprise for us?"

I could have killed her, but I knew that there was really no use in trying to hide anything any longer. I looked around the room as I picked up the little girl next to me. I didn't see Derek, but I was almost happy about that. I wanted to tell him in private. "Everyone, this is Domino, my daughter." I got the sense of deja vu. I seemed to be using that line a lot lately.

Everyone stared at me. Mom got over her shock first and came over and grabbed Domino from me and started talking to her. Lizzie came over and gave me a hug. "Where's Derek?"

Lizzie tried to stifle her laugh, but failed miserably. "He's upstairs. This girl followed him over here and keeps claiming to be his girlfriend, but he said that he went out with her once as a favor to one of his friends."

At that moment a girl came stomping down the stairs. She was crying and when she got to the bottom she yelled back up, "We will talk about this later, Derry-baby!" And she stormed out of the house.

I laughed with Lizzie. "Yeah, even in high school he didn't date anyone who would call him that. I mean, he dated Kendra, but even her nicknames weren't that bad."

Lizzie nodded then looked at me pointedly. I also knew that Edwin was staring at me, too. I nodded and walked up the stairs. When I got to Derek's door I paused. Then I knocked. "Go away, Michelle!"

I snickered at that. "But Derry-baby, I was really wanting to work things out," I said in my whiniest tone. 

I heard a laugh from inside the room. "Come in, Casey."

So I took a deep breath and opened the door.

A/N: Haha! No more! For now, at any rate. Ok, so the kid's name. I just finished watching the movie "Domino" (which I thought was pretty good), so the name is stuck in my head. But let me know what you think. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I want to own it. But I don't.

Chapter 4 Everyone Knows Now

Casey's POV

I stepped into Derek's room and was attacked. He had hidden behind his door. He gave me a fierce hug and when he let me go he frowned at me. "What's wrong?"

I bit my lip. "I have something I need to tell you."

He moved in front of me and crossed his arms. "Ok."

"You'll want to sit down."

He gave me a look, but sat down on his bed and I took a seat in his desk chair. I could tell he was getting worried about me. "Case, what is it?"

"Um." My voice shook and I knew that by the time my confession came out I would be crying. "You remember, the night before I left for school?"

He nodded. "How could I forget?"

"Well, something happened that night."

He grinned and nodded.

"No, I mean something neither of us knew for a little while."

"What are you talking about?"

"Derek, I got pregnant."

He just looked at me. "And?"

I looked at the floor. "She's three. Her name's Domino. And I brought her with me."

I knew he was glaring at me, but I couldn't raise my eyes to look at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I could hear the anger in his voice. I shook my head. "I couldn't."

"Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"I tried." I was crying now. "Especially when I first found out. I kept calling your dorm and as soon as you answered I hung up. I know I was being a chicken and it was very selfish to not tell you just because I was scared and I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

I heard him get off his bed and start walking around. He only did that when he was really mad. "Does she even know about me?"

I nodded. "I've shown her pictures. I made her promise when she saw you not to say anything, though. At least not until I told you, if not everyone."

"What do you tell her about me?"

"That you love her, you just can't be around right now. I also tell her that I love you."

He had stopped pacing. "I don't know what to say, Casey. I can't believe you would keep this from me. I don't know if I can handle this. I can't believe you kept me out of my own daughter's life."

I heard him sit back down on his bed. I chanced a look at him and saw that he was more angry than I thought by his voice. Then his voice matched it. "Get out."

I made myself stop crying as I nodded and stood up. I stopped right before opening his door. "You know me, so you know that I won't use this against you, but I thought you would be happy about this. You're name is on her birth certificate. Legally her last name is Venturi." I walked out of his room before he could say anything, not that he would have said anything anyway.

I made a side trip to the bathroom before going back downstairs. I noticed everyone was paying the most attention to Domino, though I would imagine that she demanded it. Her attitude towards the world and her role in it was much the same as her father's. As soon as my mom noticed me she tapped George's shoulder and they both waved me into the kitchen.

I followed, and when they turned to look at me, I waited for them to speak first. "So," Mom started. "Edwin and Lizzie have been keeping this secret for you."

"Only for a few weeks."

Mom looked at George and then back to me. "So, we couldn't help but notice that Domino looks and acts a lot like a certain young man whom you used to live with." My mom gave me a look that I couldn't decifer.

"Yeah."

Then George spoke. "We were just wondering why you and Derek never said anything about the two of you dating before your mom and I got married."

That caught me off gaurd. And I guess it was apparent on my face because my mother smiled sheepishly. "We knew this evening that Lizzie and Edwin knew something, so while you were talking to Derek, they told us the whole story."

I nodded. I didn't really want to go into the story, so I was glad I didn't have to. "So, what now?"

I half expected them to be mad at me for having a kid with Derek. For them to start yelling at me. But neither of these things happened. My mom just stood there with a look on her face that told m she was fine with it all. "We were wondering how Derek took the news."

I started crying again. "He hates me. And it's not as if I can blame him, I hid his daughter from him for three years, I haven't seen him in nearly four. I can't blame him for being angry, I just wish he wouldn't be. But now he's going to hate me forever and I have no one to blame but myself and Domino was so happy about finally getting to see him." Mom wiped the tears away from my eyes and gave me a hug.

"Honey, he'll come around, I'm sure. Just one question I have to ask you, no matter how much Lizzie and Edwin assure me it's true." She pulled back and looked at me. "Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then." Mom pulled me into another hug.

George cleared his throat and when we looked at him he said, "I'm going to go talk to Derek."

A/N: So, the next chapter will be the talk. Read and review! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I want to own it. But I don't.

Chapter 5 The Talk

Derek's POV

I was laying on my bed thinking about the news Casey had just given me. I had a daughter. There was a knock at the door, but I really didn't feel like talking to anyone. But I realized that the knock was only a formality when Dad opened the door without waiting for my answer. "Hey, so, now you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I know. If you don't mind, I really just want to be left alone right now."

Dad sat down at my desk. "Actually I do mind. I need to talk to you about this. About Domino and what you're going to do."

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't even know how I feel about this." I punched my pillow and rolled away from him.

"From the way you're acting, I'd say you're mad that Casey didn't tell you."

I sat up and looked at him. "Of course I'm mad about it. She kept my daughter from me."

Dad nodded. "It wasn't right of her, I'll admit, but you should know how Casey is."

"How are you so calm about this?"

"Everything was explained to me and Nora. Look, you know how important education is to Casey."

I nodded.

"Answer me this, if Casey told you she was pregnant, what would you have done?"

I thought for a moment. "I would have taken care of her."

"What would that have included?"

"Living with her, getting a job to pay for things..."

"Dropping school, or at least your hockey scholarship. Right?"

I nodded.

"Would Casey have thought about that?"

I nodded.

"So, if Casey is thinking all of this, and she knows that you wouldn't be able to go to school without the scholarship, do you really expect anything else from her?"

I shook my head. "But that doesn't mean she was right."

"No it doesn't. But does all of this mean that you're right for giving her the silent treatment now?"

I stared at my hands.

"Easier question; do you love Casey?"

"With all my heart."

"Then even with her mistakes, you ought to do the right thing now."

I stayed silent as my dad got up and walked over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder before speaking. "I think you can handle this." And he left. Everything was so screwed up in my head, but I knew he was right. I still didn't got downstairs the rest of the evening.

A/N: I know this was a short chapter, but I really didn't want to add more to it. I didn't want to take away from the importance of the talk. R&R! 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I want to own it. But I don't.

Chapter 6 More Talking and Some Shopping

Normal POV

Casey sat at the island in the kitchen when George came in. "He want's to be Domino's dad, I think. He's just mad that you didn't tell him sooner."

Casey nodded. "I knew he would be."

George patted her hand and went back to the living room. 

Casey was about to follow him when her mother stopped her. "Honey, just for my information, why did you two break up in the beginning."

Casey laughed. "It was really stupid."

"Come on, I didn't even know you two were dating. The least you can give me is what happened and why it was so easy for you two to work it out. I know you."

Casey smiled. "I was PMSing and Derek was being himself. Does that explain anything?"

"Not really."

"Ok, I've never pretended to be annoyed by Derek. One day, while I was at the hight of my bitchy attitude, I was meeting him and I heard him talking to some of his friends. I know he was just trying to keep the guys from prying and stuff, but what he said got to me that day."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'My girlfriend would never give me up. She knows that I'm the only one who can keep her happy.'" Casey laughed and shook her head. "I got so mad at him. It was so dumb, too, cause I was only trying to keep his friends away from me. Actually, I don't those guys were even his friends. It think they were real jerks who were intending to steal me from him or something. I don't even remember now, it was just really stupid for me to be mad. I yelled at him for about five minutes and told him to never call me again. By the end of that week he had called an average of five times every day and it was getting on my nerves. I finally talked to him and let him explain what was going on. It was a couple of days later that we found out you and George had gotten married."

Nora brushed some hair out of her daughter's face. "I'm sorry, honey."

"Mom, I'm not mad at you anymore. I'll admit that I was, until I moved out, to be honest, but I'm over it now. I have Domino."

The next morning Domino woke up early. She snuck out of Marti's room so she wouldn't wake her aunt and looked in on her mom. Casey was still asleep, but Domino heard noise coming from the room next door. She slowly opened the door and looked at the bed. She could barely contain her excitement when she saw her dad on the bed in front of her.

She snuck in and looked at him. His eyes were closed, but she knew he was awake. She tapped his arm and he jumped and looked at her.

Derek couldn't believe that the little girl had snuck up on him like that. He looked into her eyes and knew that, even if she were in a room full of unfamiliar kids, he would say she was his. He looked over at the clock. It was seven in the morning. "What are you doing up?"

"I normally get up this early. Normally Momma is up, too." SHe looked at him. "So, did Momma talk to you?"

Derek nodded.

"So, does that mean I can call you 'Daddy' now?"

Derek nodded again and the girl's face lit up. Her mouth formed a wide grin and she jumped onto Derek's bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He carefully wrapped his arms around the girl. Once he, though, he was lost in the love he felt for the girl.

They sat there hugging for a few minutes before the little girl let go and looked Derek in the eye. "Are you mad at Momma?"

Derek, who had tears in his eyes, shook his head. "Not anymore."

She smiled at him. "Good. So, are you gonna come live with us?"

"Not for a little while, but yeah, in a little bit."

"Like when."

"After Momma graduates from college this semester. I'll graduate, too, then we can all live together if it's ok with Momma, alright?"

The little girl nodded vigorously.

Derek sat still for a moment before frowning.

"What's wrong, Daddy?"

"I just realized that I need to get Casey a Christmas present. Would you like to go shopping with me?"

"Yeah, I need to get her something, too."

An hour later Derek and Domino were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast when Casey walked in. She stopped when she saw the two together. The rest of the family was there as well and everyone was watching Derek as he interacted with his daughter. Then, while Domino was laughing, she looked over and saw Casey. "Morning Momma."

Suddenly all eyes were on her, but the ones she noticed were Derek's. "Morning, hon. Hey everyone." Casey made her way to the island and poured a bowl of cereal.

"Momma, is it ok if I go shopping with Daddy?"

Casey looked at Derek who nodded. "Sure, sweetie."

Later that day Derek and Domino were making their way through the parking lot to their last stop. THey walked into the store and Domino looked around confused. "Daddy, why are we getting boxes. The presents came in boxes."

"It has to do with a special way I'm wrapping my present to your mom. Trust me, she'll like it."

The little girl nodded and let it go. She still didn't understand what her father was doing.

A/N: Ok, the next chapter is the last. I know this is a short story, but I liked it, and you finally know why Casey broke up with Derek first off. I know that wasn't as big an issue as you thought it would be, I actually thought it was bigger than it is now, but this is how it ended up. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I want to own it. But I don't.

Chapter 7 Christmas Day

Normal POV

Everyone was woken on Christmas morning to Domino jumping on beds and screaming that Santa had come. Casey came out of her room at the same time as Derek came out of his. She blushed when they looked at each other and muttered, "Good morning."

"Morning."

They walked down the stairs uncomfortably and went to the living room just as George and Nora were coming in yawning. They sat at opposite sides of the room.

Domino declared that Lizzie had to help her hand out the presents, since she couldn't read yet. So, Lizzie sat next to the tree and handed the little girl presents which she handed off to whoever was supposed to get it, then she waited until that person had opened the present before handing out the next one.

It took nearly two hours to get the the very last present. Domino picked it up, but didn't hand it to Lizzie to read. "I know this one," she said. "This one is to Momma from Daddy." She set the present in Casey's lap and she saw that the tag did say it was to her from Derek.

She looked up at him and noticed that he had a small smile on his face and a shine in his eyes. "What is it?"

He laughed. "I'm not telling. You have to open it."

Both were so caught up watching each other, they didn't notice the rest of the family staring on with hopeful faces.

Casey slowly took off the wrapping paper, being sure not to tear it. She soon found that this was something she was known to do when she saw Derek's handwriting on it. She frowned and read the note. 'I'm sorry.' She smiled and dig into the box only to find another box, also wrapped. She carefully unwrapped that one to find another message from Derek. 'I love you.' She smile wider, but still didn't look at Derek's face. She dug into that box to find a box that looked like it would hold a necklace from a jewelry store. She opened the box and saw, not a necklace, but a ring and on the inside of the lid Derek had written, 'Will you marry me?'

She stared at the writing for a moment before saying, without looking up, "Yes." She looked up to see Derek standing on the other side of the room grinning at her. Her face broke into a wide smile and she slipped the ring on her finger as she lunged for him. "Yes, Derek, I'll marry you."

They hugged in the middle of the living room on Christmas morning with the rest of their family cheering for them. Derek leaned his head down and kissed Casey for the first time in four years. He was finally getting his wish, she was finally getting her's, and Domino was dancing around them, ready to be included in the family hug.

That Christmas morning, everything not only fell into place, but everything became perfect. There were no more secrets, and everyone was ok with the ones that had come out. And the two who were meant to be together all along, had finally given in.

THE END

A/N: Ok, so it ended on a sappy note. I know. I typically don't like stories that end on sappy notes, but I actually like how this one ended. Thanks for reading all the way to the end! 


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